1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for connecting the connection pins of an integrated circuit mounted in a dual-in-line (DIL) package to printed circuitry on a printed circuit board in n different ways, with n being an integer .gtoreq.2, the printed circuit board comprising contact holes which are electrically connected to the printed circuitry and are each suitable for receiving a connection pin of the DIL package.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of printed circuit boards having provided thereon integrated circuits, hereinafter referred to as IC's, it is sometimes desirable, for instance when printed circuit boards for computers are involved, that at assembly of the computer, or possibly later during maintenance work, the connection pins of the dual-in-line (DIL) package in which an IC is mounted can be connected in different ways, as desired, with other parts of the electronic circuitry provided on the printed circuit board. For instance, in the case of a printed circuit board for a computer, such alternative connections are desirable especially where the circuitry provided on the printed circuit board comprises an isolating transformer IC and provisions are required to enable secondary connections thereof to be connected to connections for three different interfaces.
To solve this problem, heretofore use has been made of pairs of parallel rows of pins provided on the printed circuit board, while the corresponding pins of one pair of rows can be interconnected by means of interconnecting elements. Such pairs of rows consisting of pins are commonly referred to as jumper blocks, which name will accordingly be used hereinafter. In the above-mentioned example, where provisions are required to enable the secondary connections of an isolating transformer to be connected to three interfaces, as such the printed circuit board must comprise at least three jumper blocks, with the rows of pins of a jumper block comprising the interconnecting elements to enable the secondary connections of the isolating transformer IC to be connected to an output of the desired interface.
A disadvantage of using jumper blocks is that they occupy a relatively large surface area on the printed circuit board, which is undesirable in view of increasing miniaturization of devices. Moreover, when using jumper blocks, additional space is required on the printed circuit board for the printed circuitry that necessarily leads to the various pins of the jumper blocks. Further, it is time-consuming and laborious to provide the interconnecting elements for the desired jumper blocks during manufacture of the printed circuit board or later during maintenance work.